


Echelon

by MelissaMajoria



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: (mostly), Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Tragedy of Duscur (Fire Emblem), Tragedy of Duscur (Fire Emblem)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:15:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28346001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelissaMajoria/pseuds/MelissaMajoria
Summary: Few people know of the small village that used to lie along the path from Fodlan to Duscur, hidden deep within the mountain range known as the Sacred Gwenhwyfar. Even fewer people know of the nearby temple and its legends that have been kept by the Llywelyn family for generations. As a result, few also know of the fate of the village and all of its inhabitants: destroyed during the Tragedy of Duscur.The last temple keeper was so devoted to his job that he named his only child, a daughter, Gwenhwyfar. Gwyn, as she prefers to be called (as few can pronounce her name properly), doesn't remember much about the destruction of her village, or even what happened to her afterwards. In her frequent nightmares she sees a woman on fire running through the surrounding forest or blood staining her pale hands.The mysteries surrounding her and her recent past only grow after she finds herself at the Officer's Academy. In her quest for answers, the deadly and aloof Gwyn slowly begins to warm up to her peers, joining forces with a certain prince who is also seeking answers. The two soon learn that their seemingly different quests may have more in common than they realized.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. Prologue

_1176, Sacred Gwenhwyfar_

The caravan pulled to a stop and Dimitri looked out the window curiously. "Where are we?" he asked his stepmother.

Patricia rolled her eyes, going back to her knitting. She seemed more irritable than usual, Dimitri noticed. Her knitting needles clacked together forcefully, her hands moving faster than usual. Was she trying to finish her project before they arrived in Duscur? "It would appear your father is being unnecessarily superstitious."

Before he could ask more, the door to the carriage opened and Lambert was standing on the other side. "Dimitri, come with me," he requested with a smile. 

"Where are we?" Dimitri repeated, scrambling out of the carriage. He hoped his father would give him a better answer. 

"This is the Sacred Gwenhwyfar."

"The mountains that separate Fodlan from Duscur," Dimitri confirmed. 

"Yes and no," his father said cryptically. "That is the name of the mountain range, but it is also the name of this village." Lambert led his son away from the small village and down a barely marked trail leading into the forest. "Do you know why it is called the Sacred Gwenhwyfar?"

Dimitri shook his head. 

"There is a legend unknown by most."

Dimitri rushed to keep up with his father's long legs on the uneven trail. He could barely tell where the path was.

"Gwenhwyfar was one of the children of the goddess. She was extremely powerful and none could best her. Unfortunately she was eventually overcome and badly wounded during a battle. The legends say she escaped to these very mountains. She is supposedly slumbering beneath our very feet." He looked back to smile at his son. "They say Blaiddyd himself started the tradition of coming to these mountains to pray before battles or in times of turmoil. Each of our ancestors followed suit and were victorious in battle."

"Did Loog come?" Dimitri asked.

"Of course," Lambert answered. "He spent a great many nights praying and fasting at the temple." Lambert came to a sudden stop and Dimitri almost ran into his back. He crouched down so he was at Dimitri's height and pointed ahead. "Do you see it?" he asked.

Dimitri looked to where his father pointed, squinting his eyes. Sure enough, he could see stones covered in moss and twisted with trees just beyond a staircase formed by tree roots. It was much different from the opulent churches back in Fhirdiad. There was a wildness here.

"It's not what I expected," Dimitri admitted. 

Lambert chuckled. "It is much different. I like it, myself."

"Are we coming to pray for a battle?" Dimitri asked once they continued again.

"No, no, my son. I am wanting to thank Gwenhwyfar and the goddess for the long lasting peace we've endured and pray for it's continuation."

After the lantern lined staircase, they stepped inside the quiet temple. Dimitri looked around, surprised by its simplicity. There were no statues, no gold adorned fixtures, no stained glass windows. 

The only thing in the large room was an altar with candles and incense burning. 

"Your Majesty!" gasped a robed man, standing to the side. He bowed deeply. 

"Master Llywelyn, is that you?" Lambert asked. Dimitri looked at them curiously. 

The other man straightened, nodding his assent. 

"It is good to see you, it has been too long since I was last here," Lambert said, clutching his hand and shaking vigorously.

Master Llywelyn chuckled, trying to discreetly flex his poor hand. "Is this the young prince?" he asked, his attention on Dimitri now.

"Yes, yes. This is Dimitri. I've been meaning to bring him up here for a while now."

The adults continued to talk while Dimitri looked around the room. A movement caught in the corner of his eye and he realized there was a second entrance off to the side of the altar. A girl with light brown hair stood in the doorway, peering curiously around the corner. She reminded him of El... his _stepsister_. He was still trying to wrap his head around that knowledge. This girl had much different eyes, however. They were a dark blue, but they also seemed kinder, warmer. 

Dimitri took a cautious step towards her. "Hello," he said softly. 

His father's boisterous laughter echoed around the room and the girl turned and ran, reminding Dimitri of a frightened animal. This girl actually did not seem to have much in common with the strong willed Edelgard. 

"Wait!" He called, taking several steps to follow her, but she was _fast_. She raced across the forest and began to scale a tree. She was more catlike than human it seemed. He had never seen anyone so fast or nimble. Before he knew it, she had disappeared completely.

"Dimitri?" his father asked from behind him. 

He spun, looking up into his father's curious eyes. "There was a girl!" he explained.

"Oh?" Lambert peered beyond him into the empty forest.

"Probably my daughter," the temple keeper explained. "She's not used to strangers. People rarely come through here."

"Well, hopefully our visit to Duscur will change that!" Lambert said with a wide smile.

"Your Majesty?" a female voice asked from behind the group. They all turned to look at the woman holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Catrin!" the temple keeper greeted. "What brings you out here?"

"I thought you might like these, for your journey?" She offered the bouquet to Lambert.

Lambert took the flowers and held them carefully in his large hands. "Yes, I would, thank you very much," he said in the soft tone Dimitri recognized as the one he reserved for a certain topic. Lambert turned to his son, handing him the bouquet. "Will you hold on to these for me?"

Dimitri tensed. This would be a test of his ability to control his strength. He gave his father a solemn nod and took the bouquet from him very carefully. The familiar scent filled his nostrils and vague memories flashed through his mind, of long blonde curls and warmth, happiness.

There was a small room in the castle at Fhirdiad, a shrine of sorts dedicated to a beautiful woman. A portrait hung on the wall depicting the woman with a warm smile and long blond curls cascading down her shoulders and back. Portraits of her with her smiling husband and/or son adorned the other two walls. A small table sat in the room holding a vase that was always filled with her beloved flowers, the flowers in Dimitri's hands: Queen Ann's Lace, named after his birth mother, the late queen.

_(He hated when people described her as such, "the late queen." What was she late for? His past ten birthdays?)_

Dimitri liked to sit in this room and inhale the scent and remember those glimpses of his mother, particularly on those days when his stepmother was especially cold towards him or his father too busy for him. When he had a difficult decision to make, or something was bothering him he would sit there and wonder what sort of motherly advice she might have for him. It was a way for him to keep this mother he couldn't really remember close to his heart.

Lambert had had the flowers imported from this village since their wedding. He had hoped they could be grown in the gardens at Fhirdiad, but it seemed they needed these snowy mountains. His beloved Ann had loved the scent so much that she learned to make a perfume from them. Every time his nose caught the scent, he was reminded of her, his lost love. He loved Patricia, his current wife, but Ann had a hold on his heart that had not loosened even in the years since her death.

Dimitri held onto the flowers carefully throughout the prayers and chanting they performed in the temple. They were still undamaged as he and his father ventured through the forest and back to the tiny village. He had hoped to see the mysterious girl again, but she was nowhere to be found. He stumbled on the steps back into the carriage but still managed to protect the flowers.

It wasn't until he was standing in the middle of the burning fields of Duscur that his grip finally crushed the bouquet, the flowers breaking away and blowing on the wind only to turn to ash along with everything else in sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where exactly is Duscur? You are given vague directions in game, but that's about it. 
> 
> Is it the unnamed chunk of land north of Faerghus? Maybe. 
> 
> I headcanon that it's the spot on the map just north of the Sacred Gwenhwyfar that says "Kleiman." 
> 
> Game conversations made it sound like Kleiman was a nobody family before the Tragedy of Duscur and was only awarded major land afterwards so... that's where that thought came from, if you were curious.
> 
> Also, Queen Ann's Lace is going to be a bit different from the Queen Anne's Lace of our world, I simply borrowed the name. 
> 
> I headcanon that Dimitri's birth mother was named "Ann" and Gilbert of course insisted that his daughter be named after the queen. Annette was a compromise between him and his wife who was already beginning to worry about his dedication to his job...


	2. Continuum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _I felt the closeness of monsters as we slept  
>  And the creaking of hands where masons met  
> The loneliness of a shooting star  
> And the beating of drums where the wild things are_
> 
> _And somewhere beneath the moon  
>  A sonic boom, peeled off from a wing  
> Into the dark, into each heart  
> I heard the angel sing: "Que sera sera - Whatever will be will be"_
> 
> _And for death and speculation, well there's just enough time  
>  For each final separation, well there's just enough time_
> 
> _-Amplifier_

"What are you proposing we do, Dedue?" Dimitri asked, crossing his arms.

"I'm not sure," Dedue admitted, looking down at the unconscious girl.

"We can't just leave her here!" Dimitri's tone grew incredulous.

"No, but..." Dedue hesitated, not wanting to say the next words. Not for his own sake, but for Dimitri's. "I don't think it would look good if you carried an unconscious girl into town accompanied by someone like me."

Dimitri's eyes widened and then narrowed, the dark storm that he kept carefully hidden behind them churning suddenly violent. He uncrossed his arms and clenched his fists tightly, his gauntlets creaking from the effort. He turned away, trying to recompose himself.

"Perhaps some water would help. I can hear a stream nearby. I'll refill our canteens," Dedue suggested.

Dimitri nodded, still looking away. Once Dedue was gone, he unclenched both his jaw and his fists, took a deep breath, and turned back towards the girl.

He took a seat on the ground next to her, peering down at her curiously. There was something slightly familiar about her face. He considered checking her bag for clues, but thought better of it.

She was wearing the academy uniform so she must have been on her way to Garreg Mach like he and Dedue were. He went through the female Blue Lions roster in his head. She wasn't Ingrid, he knew Ingrid. He highly doubted she was Annette - she looked nothing like Gilbert; though he truly hoped that Annette was not that unfortunate either. So that left Mercedes or Gwenhwyfar, or a girl from a different class. The possibilities were nearly endless. He glanced back in the direction Dedue had gone, hoping his friend would hurry.

Dimitri noticed movement from the corner of his eye, but before his mind could process this and he could react, his back slammed into the ground. The mysterious girl hovered above him, a dagger at his throat. He swallowed hard, looking up at her and feeling the cold steel against his Adam's apple.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "Where are we? Why am I here?"

The questions came faster than Dimitri's bewildered mind could process. "I… I don't know," he said, answering the last question.

"You don't know who you are?"

He couldn't help but smirk. He'd expected her eyes to be cold judging by the force of her holding him down and the blade at his throat poised to kill, but she simply looked confused and frustrated. He didn't blame her. It must have been disorienting to wake up on the side of the road with a strange man. He shuddered to think what would have happened had someone nefarious come across her. "My name is Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd," he answered. It felt strange to say those words and be unable to bow.

"And your friends?" she asked.

His brow knitted in confusion. "My friend Dedue went to get you some water."

Her head cocked in that direction, listening. "There are at least five other people out there. They aren't with you?"

"No."

She searched his face, looking for a lie. Seeming satisfied, the pressure on his throat loosened. "Then we might have a problem."

As quickly as she had been on him, she was standing, her hand held out to him. He blinked a few times, disoriented, taking her hand and letting her pull him up. She dropped his hand almost immediately and handed the dagger that had just been at his throat to him and he realized it was the one he kept on his belt.

"That's your friend?" she asked, pointing towards Dedue who was heading towards them. Judging by his pace, he had missed the recent display.

Dimitri nodded. "Dedue," he said by way of introduction and greeting. "This is..." He glanced at her, realizing he still had no idea who she was.

"Gwenhwyfar Llywellyn," she said, eyes on the tree line surrounding them.

“Gwenhwyfar?” Dimitri asked, repeating it correctly.

She couldn’t help but smile a little as she nodded, eyes still on the tree line. It had been a long time since anyone had pronounced her name correctly.

“Are you perhaps named after the mountain range?” Dedue asked, handing her the canteen.

All traces of a smile left her face. “Something like that. Please, though, call me Gwyn. Thank you for the water.” She started to drink.

Dedue turned to Dimitri, “Your Highness, should we head back to the town or continue on?”

Gwyn made a strangled noise and started to cough. She quickly got her breathing under control and looked the two boys up and down carefully.

“Gwyn?” Dimitri asked, concerned.

“ _Your Highness_?” she asked.

Dimitri blushed. “I apologize, I-”

“Shut up,” she interrupted with an intense whisper, her body changing to a more rigid stance.

“Pardon me?” he asked, shocked.

“They’re headed this way now,” she explained, raising her finger to her lips. She flicked her wrist, internally groaning when she realized the dagger she kept there was missing. She turned back towards the tree line, head cocked to the side as she strained to hear. She cursed in a language neither boy fully recognized as she realized she hadn’t been paying close enough attention. Suddenly they were surrounded by several bandits.

Gwyn, Dimitri, and Dedue turned, backing up towards each other in a defensive position.

“Well, well, well,” one of the bandits said. “What do we have here? Looks like some kids lost their way home. We’d be more than happy to help you out… for a fee.”

“I appreciate the offer, but we are not in need of assistance,” Dimitri said in a voice that at least sounded calm and commanding.

The bandits laughed. “We insist.”

“I’d recommend leaving now,” Gwyn said in a loud confident voice that she hoped reassured the boys.

“Oh, and what if we don’t?” the bandit asked. “You don’t even have a weapon, little girl.” The rest of the bandits laughed.

The bandit closest to her turned towards his friends and Gwyn took advantage of the opening, running forward and then diving down to perform a sweeping, spinning kick, knocking him off his feet. She ran towards the next bandit, leaping towards him and wrapping her body around his, using the centrifugal force to knock him violently to the ground. The bandit who had spoken first came at her next and she turned quickly, reaching up to grab his sword-holding arm and wrenching it backwards one way and then twisting it to wrench it back at a different angle, spinning her body to bring her elbow up to smash into his nose. He dropped his sword and went to hold his nose and she used the distraction to spin her body again, her leg lifting to make contact with the side of his head, dropping him to the ground.

Gwyn turned towards the rest of the bandits. “I would recommend getting out of here lest I take one of your weapons and turn this roadside into your grave.”

The bandits ran off and Gwyn turned back towards Dedue and Dimitri who were gaping at her.

“Who are you?” Dimitri asked, awed.

“Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing before we were so rudely interrupted.”

“I think after that display we deserve answers,” Dedue said.

She shrugged. “So I know how to fight. What of it?”

“I’ve never seen anyone fight quite like that,” Dimitri commented. “Is that fighting style common where you’re from?”

Gwyn hesitated. She didn’t want to give too much away, to explain too much, so she kept it simple and vague. “No. I was trained after I left home.”

Dedue frowned. “What do you want with His Highness?”

Gwyn frowned back at him. “I didn’t even know who he was until a few moments ago. I still don’t know who he is.”

“I am the Crown Prince of Faerghus,” Dimitri said. “I apologize for not telling you before. It was not my intent to deceive. I thought you would recognize the name.”

“I lived in a secluded village for most of my life and then I…” she trailed off, frowning. Trying to remember was making her head ache. But there was something familiar, something that tugged at her memory. The more she tried to pull at it, the more her head ached.

“And then?” Dedue prompted.

“And then I didn’t!” she snapped. She sighed. “We didn’t… we didn’t have much to do with politics or royalty or any of that. Though… now that I think about it I suppose the name Blaiddyd does sound familiar.”

“May I ask where you are from?” Dimitri asked.

“The Sacred Gwenhwyfar.”

“I wasn’t aware people still lived on the mountain,” Dimitri mused.

“They don’t. There was one village and it isn’t there anymore,” she said darkly.

“What happened?”

“Everyone was killed. It burned to the ground after the… events in Duscur.”

“I’m sorry, Gwyn, I didn’t know,” Dimitri said sadly.

“I didn’t expect you would know. When an entire country is wiped off the map, the destruction of one tiny village hardly anyone knew about to begin with typically gets swept under the rug.” She rubbed at one of her wrists absentmindedly as she tried to push those memories, the few that came to the surface, aside. “Now will you please answer some of my questions?”

“Of course,” Dimitri said.

“Where are we and how did I end up here?”

“We’re just beyond the town of Trista in Faerghus. I’m afraid I can’t answer your second question because I myself have been wondering that since we came across you. You were lying unconscious on the side of the road.”

Gwyn frowned. “Why was I…”

“We assumed you were a student as well, judging by the uniform,” Dedue added.

She glanced down at her outfit, which was also unfamiliar. “A student?”

“You must have hit your head,” Dimitri said, shaking his head.

“You do have a bruise on your temple,” Dedue noted.

Gwyn’s hand lifted to touch the spot, which was tender. “I suppose that explains this headache.”

Dimitri gave her a sympathetic look. He had plenty of experience with headaches. “What do you remember?”

“I… I’m not sure,” she admitted. She closed her eyes, trying to remember. She had been much further north… Fraldarius territory. She was running, running from… who? Her eyes opened and she looked around nervously. Not bandits. Someone else. She had been cold and hungry, was looking for food and a warm corner to curl up in but… She must have been found.

_The mages._ They must have found her and dropped her here, put her in these clothes. They wanted her to at least think she was a student. So she had two options - play along and see what it was they wanted, or run far, far away. Running hadn’t gone well the first time. Perhaps she should play along. _Que sera, sera._

“So, we’re all students?” she asked.

Dimitri nodded, giving her a concerned look.

“Please stop looking at me like that. I appear to have hit my head and lost a few memories is all.” It wasn’t a lie. She _had_ hit her head and she _was_ missing some memories. They just weren’t likely related.

“The Officer’s Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery,” Dedue explained, looking at her suspiciously. “I believe you were on the roster for the Blue Lions?” He directed that question towards Dimitri.

“Ah, yes, you were. According to my paperwork you were adopted into a noble family near Magdred.”

That was a lie… or was it? She had strange memories of eating dinner and working on an orchard, harvesting fruit. But they didn’t feel like they were _her_ actual memories, more like they were a distant dream. Perhaps they had been implanted much like she had been in this spot with these clothes. They underestimated her mind and just how much it had learned to resist their magic.

She looked at Dimitri and Dedue. How much should she tell them? She couldn’t lie. But how far could she twist the truth?

“I’m House Leader for the Blue Lions,” Dimitri explained. “That’s why I have this information.”

“Hmm. Well, enough about me. What is the _crown prince_ doing out here all alone? Shouldn’t you have an entire guard accompanying you? Or at the very least a horse.”

Dimitri sighed. “We had horses, but they were frightened away when we were previously accosted by bandits. I did not think it would be necessary to travel with soldiers, the guard is stretched thin already.”

“I’m not up to date on current affairs in Fodlan, why is the guard stretched thin? Did a war come up when I was… indisposed?”

“War? Oh, goddess no. Nothing like that. There is the occasional skirmish or rebellion.” Dimitri sighed again. “Honestly I think I was hoping to prove something to my uncle by traveling alone.” He took a breath, straightening his back. “That being said, I think we should travel the rest of the way to Garreg Mach together. Your skills would be invaluable.”

“Your Highness…” Dedue started.

“Now, Dedue, I will hear nothing of it. She has proven to be a valuable ally already. You must admit we could use her assistance. Besides, we are all heading to the same place.”

Dedue hesitated, but did not argue further. He did, however, glare at Gwyn.

Gwyn shrugged. She didn’t blame him. She would be suspicious of her. “How much farther is it?” she asked, ignoring Dedue’s glare.

“Depending on how fast we cover the ground, we could arrive tomorrow. The next day at the latest. I would be more than happy to compensate you for your assistance.”

There was no reason for her to say no. She might as well accompany them. She wasn’t sure where she was going, anyway. The voice in the back of her head spoke up, that intuition she had inherited from her mother.

_Protect him._

That was settled, then. “Alright. No compensation is necessary. I don’t know where I’m going, anyway. We can help each other.” She retrieved her bag and began to dig around, pulling out a beautiful jewel encrusted dagger. The blade, barely hanging on due to a crack in the hilt, finally completely dislodged itself. She sighed. “Damn, I forgot about that.” She looked at Dimitri. “I would be more useful with a weapon, preferably a dagger. As you can see, mine is broken.”

Dimitri pulled out the dagger that she had returned to him earlier and handed it back to her. “Take this back.”

She smirked. “Thank you, Di-” she stopped. “I suppose I should start addressing you properly.”

“Please, I would not complain if you continued to address me in a more casual manner. Dimitri is fine.”

“Your Highness!” Dedue protested again. “That is not acceptable.”

“Dedue…”

“How about a compromise?” I’ll just call him ‘D,’” Gwyn teased, starting to get annoyed at Dedue’s hostility towards her. She understood it, but it was annoying nonetheless.

“I do not see how that is any better,” Dedue said angrily.

“I would not object,” Dimitri admitted.

“Well, we should be on our way, _D._ I’d rather not be standing here if those bandits return with even more of their friends. I’m good, but not that good.”

The trio turned and continued down the road in silence.

“We should stop for the night soon,” Dedue commented after a while, eyes on the darkening horizon.

“How are our provisions?” Dimitri asked.

“I can make them stretch,” Dedue said after a moment of thoughtfulness.

They veered off from the road and found a spot next to a nearby river that Gwyn decided would be fairly defensible. Dedue started a fire and began cooking while Gwyn and Dimitri refilled canteens in the river. Dedue served a hearty stew, apologizing to Dimitri for the quality.

“Nonsense, Dedue! Your cooking is always a delight.”

“I only wish I had some bread to accompany it,” Dedue commented.

Gwyn pulled open her bag, digging around and pulling out a small bundle. Unwrapping it, she offered the bread rolls hidden inside to the boys. “Hopefully it’s not too stale,” she said with a small smile. She had managed to snag them from a restaurant before being caught.

“Thank you for sharing,” Dedue said reluctantly.

"It still blows my mind that a prince is not accompanied by an entire entourage," Gwyn said thoughtfully after a moment.

"The fact that we are traveling alone is a fault of my own hubris. I wasn't expecting to be attacked by so many bandits and thieves."

"You should always overestimate your enemy."

"I wasn't expecting to have so many enemies, I suppose."

"Your problem is that you're too trusting. It's best to assume everyone is your enemy until they prove not to be. Like your friend there does," she said, gesturing towards Dedue who narrowed his eyes at her.

"I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt. How will you ever make friends your way?”

"Friendship is something that has to be worked for, earned. You have to prove your unwavering trust in and of someone else."

"Trust that runs that deep sounds like it should be reserved for lovers."

She scowled into her empty bowl. “I wouldn’t know,” she said, standing up. She took Dedue and Dimitri’s empty bowls along with the empty cooking pot and utensils and started to head back towards the water.

“Allow me,” Dedue said, trying to take the items from her.

“I insist,” Gwyn argued. “You cooked, it is the least I can do.”

“Alright…” Dedue said reluctantly. “I can brew some tea in the meantime.”

She returned shortly with clean dishes, finding Dedue and Dimitri speaking in hushed whispers.

“How do we know she speaks the truth?” Dedue was asking.

Gwyn cleared her throat and the boys looked up at her, Dedue annoyed and Dimitri sheepish.

“I can go back out of earshot if you’d like,” she suggested, handing the clean dishes to Dedue.

“Not necessary. Please sit and have some tea,” Dimitri said.

She complied, eying them suspiciously. Dimitri handed her a cup while Dedue stood to repack the dishes away and set up camp for the night.

“Is this chamomile?” Gwyn asked, inhaling deeply.

“It is,” Dimitri said. “It’s my favorite.”

“Mine as well. I know many people do not care for the bitter taste.”

“Oh? I was not aware of that,” Dimitri said conversationally. “My stepmother and I frequently enjoyed it together.”

She shrugged. “That’s just been my experience. I find the aroma is quite pleasant.”

“Your Highness, the camp is ready,” Dedue said, approaching them.

Dimitri swallowed the rest of his tea. “Oh, right… I did not think.”

“What’s wrong?” Gwyn asked.

“We only have the one tent,” he said, looking anywhere but at her.

“And?” Gwyn asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It… it would not be proper for you to share a tent with us,” he said, blushing.

“Oh, right.” She’d spent too much time outside of the realm of propriety.

“It’s only right if you take the tent and Dedue and I sleep outside.”

“Your Highness!” Dedue protested.

Gwyn joined the protest. “That’s ridiculous. I’m used to sleeping outside. Besides, I’ll hear any potential incoming threats better without a tent to muffle them.”

“I… I cannot allow that!” Dimitri protested.

“Please, I insist that you do. You requested that I protect you. This is how I do it.”

“I requested that you _accompany_ us.”

“For protection. Now I will hear no more. Sleep in the tent or don’t, that’s your prerogative, but if you do not then I suspect it will remain empty and Dedue would have spent all of that work for naught.”

Dimitri sighed. “I cannot win this argument, can I?”

“You may continue to be stubborn, if you wish, but no. You cannot. Now, please, it is getting late and I’d like to get an early start. Please get some sleep.” She turned to Dedue. “Do you plan to accompany him or do you still not trust me enough to leave me alone?”

He eyed her suspiciously, considering the options.

“If you want to protect him, you would have the advantage inside the tent. I would prefer that as well, so if something happens to me, hopefully I can warn you with enough time to expect an attack.”

“If it’s alright with His Highness, I would prefer to accompany him.”

“Of course, Dedue. Now let us retire. All of this arguing has exhausted me.”

Gwyn smirked. “You should probably get used to it now, it is my understanding that being a ruler seems to be nothing but arguing with others.”

“Right you are,” Dimitri said. He paused at the entrance to the tent. “Please sleep well, despite the conditions. I am still uncomfortable with the idea of you sleeping out here while I am inside a tent.”

“I will not argue the point any longer. Pleasant dreams,” she said, putting out the fire. She found a relatively flat patch of grass nearby and rearranged the objects in her bag so she could use it as a pillow. Lying on her back, she stared at the sky until her eyes finally began to close.

_Dimitri stood on the edge of the river, looking back towards the camp. Dedue stood in the distance, gesturing for him to join him. Gwyn was there as well, leaning against a tree and watching him curiously, her arms crossed over her chest._

_Dimitri was about to join them when he heard a splash from the water behind him. He turned towards the river, but it was not the clear, slowly moving water it had been before. Now it was an inky, murky depth that churned at his feet._

_Dimitri stumbled back as hands reached out towards him. There was another splash and now a face pressed through the inky liquid, a face he recognized all too well. He wasn’t surprised when others followed. His father, Glenn, his stepmother. The faces of countless others whom he had considered friends and allies breeched the surface behind them. All of these faces of the dead writhed and moaned and as they pressed through the inky blackness in the waves of the river._

_One of the hands next to his father’s face reached further than the others, gripping his leg and pulling violently. He tried to catch himself, but began to loose his footing and fall into the river._

Dimitri gasped, sitting up in the tent, shivering and sweating. His head began to ache as it usually did after a nightmare. He rubbed his face a few times and then pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, trying to relieve some of the pressure. There was a hissing whispering in his ear and he shook his head. He needed air.

He glanced over at Dedue on the opposite side of the tent, still asleep and completely unaware of Dimitri’s state. He snuck out of the tent as quietly as he could, breathing in the cool night air.

He worried about Gwyn out here in the elements. While Dimitri was used to the cold, he knew not everyone else was. He wished they had at least offered her a blanket. He spotted her not far away, in a clearing just beyond the remnants of their campfire. He watched her sleeping peacefully for a few moments while he inhaled deeply, trying to clear his head.

Everything about her was odd. Her accent, the way she fought. She often spoke with eloquence, but then mentioned that she was used to sleeping outside? Her dark blue eyes darted around at every sound, as if she was expecting to be attacked at any moment. She rarely met his eyes and when she did, she had an uncanny way of looking at him as if she could see _through_ him.

Gwyn shifted in her sleep and Dimitri took a few steps back as quietly as he could. Somehow, his headache had eased, the memories of the nightmare forgotten. There was a rustle on the other side of the clearing and Gwyn was suddenly on her feet, dagger in hand.

“Don’t scare me like that,” she said, relaxing. “How long have you been there?” Dimitri was about to answer when he followed her line of sight to the deer, munching on leaves nearby. He kept his mouth shut, staying as still as possible.

“Go on, now. Get out of here,” Gwyn said, waving her hands towards the creature. “I don’t need you keeping me up all night.” She took a step forward and the deer took off noisily. Gwyn sat back on the ground, grumbling something too low for him to hear, although it didn’t sound like a language he understood either. She sighed loudly as she leaned back against her bag, staring up at the sky. Her eyes closed again and Dimitri waited a moment before returning to his tent. Dawn would be arriving soon and he needed to at least _try_ to sleep a little more.

Gwyn awoke with the first peek of sunrise over the horizon. The boys were still asleep in their tent so she did a quick perimeter check. Finding an fruit tree, she picked enough to share and headed back to the camp. Dedue stood outside the tent, frowning at her.

“Where have you been?” he asked.

“I went to double check the area. Fruit?” She offered the item to the man who took it reluctantly.

“Thank you.”

Dimitri came out of the tent, running a gloved hand through his messy blonde hair. “Good morning,” he greeted her with what she sensed was a false sense of cheeriness.

“Good morning,” she said, offering him a fruit. There were dark shadows under his eyes and she wondered about his sleeping habits, or lack thereof. He thanked her and she headed down to the river to rinse off her face while they packed up the camp.

“Gwyn?” came Dimitri’s voice behind her. She hadn’t noticed that he’d followed her and that worried her a little. Nobody should be able to sneak up on her like that. Was she slipping?

“Hmm?” she asked, looking back at him as she dried her face on her jacket.

“I wanted to thank you again for your assistance yesterday. I do apologize for frightening you when you first awoke. I hope this will not affect our time together as classmates.”

She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. Any of it. I should be the one apologizing to you.”

“Oh, no. Anyone would have reacted that way if they found themselves in your situation.”

She doubted that, but didn’t say anything.

Dimitri hesitated, seeming to want to say something else.

“Was there something else?”

He bit his lip, frowning. “I… I was hoping that at some point you would speak with me about what happened in your village. The events surrounding Duscur are something that I have been curious about for years now and I wonder if they are related.”

She nodded. “It’s likely. Sure. Unfortunately I don’t remember a lot about that time, but I’ll share what I do remember.”

Dimitri glanced back at their camp. “Perhaps another time when Dedue is not around.”

“He’s from Duscur.” It was a statement, not a question.

Dimitri nodded. “I hope you do not hold any prejudices towards the people of Duscur.”

She shook her head. “My village was on the border between the two countries. We interacted with the Duscur people fairly regularly. Several of the people who lived in my village were of Duscur blood.”

“Sounds like an interesting mix of the two cultures,” Dimitri commented, a faraway look in his eyes.

She nodded. “I think it was.”

“I would love to learn more about your village as well.”

She found this curious, but did not comment on it, only nodded. “I’d be more than happy to share.” She was surprised to find how much truth the statement held. Thinking of her village brought back a mixture of feelings, and she usually found herself settling on anger. Anger that all was lost, and for what? That was a question she still did not know the answer to.

Dimitri beamed at her and she couldn’t help but smile back. There was something about that smile, it was blinding in its sincerity. Every smile he had given her thus far hadn’t been like this one, they had been lacking somehow. “I look forward to our future conversations.”

Dimitri explained what he could about the academy while they continued on their journey. Dedue remained mostly quiet, still suspicious and annoyed by her presence. Perhaps it was just Dimitri’s enthusiasm, but Gwyn found herself looking forward to the school year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter is named after the song "Continuum" by the band "Amplifier" if the chapter summary didn't give it away.


End file.
